Vasai-BasedKala Sadhana Arts studio has been empowering underprivileged, school dropouts by offering free tailoring classes to girls and free computer classes to boys. Held over a period of three months, the aim is to teach valuable skills to children from downtrodden homes.

The founder of the studio, Brother George Vitus, 60, is a sculptor, who has also studied at Rome University of Fine Arts. Since the last 20 years, he has helped more than 5,000 slum children. Vitus funds the initiative by making religious statues for churches and organisations. His sculpture of Mother Mary has even been installed at Uttan Bhatia Velankanni Matha Church in Bhayandar.